KR20090122468A - Microreplication tools and patterns using laser induced thermal embossing - Google Patents

Abstract

Laser induced thermal embossing (LITE) films used to make microreplication tools, liners, and products such as laser induced thermal imaging (LITI) donor films. The LITE tools or liners have a microstructured surface selectively imposed upon them as determined by an area of imaging the LITE films against one or more microreplication tools. An orientation between the laser imaging lines and LITE films can be selected to produce various microreplication patterns on the tools. The LITE tools can be made having a structure on structure pattern including a microstructured pattern with a nanostructured surface. The LITE liners can be combined with other films to form products. The LITE films can also be coated with a transfer layer to form a LITE donor film with a structured transfer layer.

Description

Microreplication tools and patterns using laser induced thermal embossing {MICROREPLICATION TOOLS AND PATTERNS USING LASER INDUCED THERMAL EMBOSSING}

The present invention relates to a microreplication tool using a laser induced thermal embossing (LITE) film, a manufacturing method thereof, and a laser induced thermal imaging (LITI) method.

Machining techniques such as diamond turning and plunge electric discharge machining can be used to create a variety of work pieces such as microreplication tools. Microreplication tools are commonly used in extrusion processes, injection molding processes, embossing processes, casting processes and the like for the production of microstructures. Articles having microstructured surfaces can be microreplicated in relatively small dimensions, such as optical films, abrasive films, adhesive films, mechanical fasteners with self-mating profiles, or dimensions less than approximately 1000 micrometers. It can include any molded or extruded part having features.

Microstructured features can also be formed in other ways. For example, the structure of the master tool can be transferred from the master tool to other media, such as belts or webs of polymeric material, by casting and curing processes to form the fabrication tool, which in turn is a microstructure. It is used to form. Other methods, such as electroforming, can be used to duplicate the master tool. Other techniques for manufacturing tools include chemical etching, bead blasting or other stochastic surface modification techniques.

Summary of the Invention

The LITE film according to the present invention comprises a substrate and a photothermal conversion layer covering the substrate. The surface of the LITE film may have a microstructured surface that is optionally embossed on top.

The method of manufacturing a microreplication tool according to the invention comprises the steps of: providing a LITE film comprising a substrate and a light-to-heat conversion layer covering the substrate; Stacking the LITE film on the master tool including the pattern of microstructures with the light-to-heat conversion layer in contact with the microstructures; Imaging the LITE film in a patterned manner to selectively expose the photothermal conversion layer; And removing the master tool to produce a microstructured pattern corresponding to the microstructures of the master tool on the LITE film.

The accompanying drawings are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, and together with the description serve to explain the advantages and principles of the invention. In the drawing,

1 is a view of an exemplary LITE film before embossing.

2A-2C illustrate a process of embossing a LITE film to produce a product such as a microreplication tool, liner, or LITI donor film.

3 is a view of an embossed liner and article.

4 is an illustration of an embossed article made from an embossed liner.

5A is a perspective view of a microreplication tool.

FIG. 5B is a perspective view of a LITE tool made using the microreplication tool shown in FIG. 5A. FIG.

6A is a perspective view of three different microreplication tools.

FIG. 6B is a perspective view of a LITI tool made using the three microreplication tools shown in FIG. 6A.

7A-7F illustrate a process of embossing a LITE film using structures on a structure pattern in a film or corresponding tool to produce a product such as a microreplication tool, liner, or LITI donor film.

8A-8C illustrate an LITI process for imaging an embossed LITE film having a transfer layer to transfer a portion of the transfer layer to a permanent receptor.

FIG. 9A illustrates a process for making a LITE tool using 90 ° laser scanning. FIG.

9B is an image of a sample LITE tool made using the scanning orientation shown in FIG. 9A.

10A illustrates a process for making a LITE tool using laser scanning at 45 ° orientation.

10B is an image of a sample LITE tool made using the scanning orientation shown in FIG. 10A.

Embodiments of the present invention include a method for creating complex tools for microreplication and nano-replication processes. The method utilizes LITE and precision lasers using conventional microreplication tools such as those made using precision diamond machining, Excimer Laser Machining of Flat (ELMoF), photolithography patterning, or other techniques. Involves a combination of aspects of exposure. LITE can be performed using LITE sheets or films with virtually any microreplication tool surface and sufficient thermal stability. The film is laminated to the microreplication tool and then exposed from behind using a laser. The result is a three-dimensional embossed pattern corresponding to the pattern of the microreplication tool in the laser exposure area.

LITE can be used to create many different microstructured films. For example, LITE can provide a fast way to create customizable hologram patterns on film substrates (eg, driver licenses or credit card laminates) for security applications using a single hologram master. have. LITE can also be used to produce microstructured films having a variety of other optical properties, for example, based on the microstructured optical elements. In addition, LITE provides the ability to combine elements from different MS tooling methods into one LITE tool.

LITE can also be used to manufacture products from master tools. The LITE film may, after embossing, form a microstructured master tool having a microreplicated pattern corresponding to the embossing. The LITE film as the master tool can be used to microreplicate a product having an inverse pattern from the tool, for example the protrusion in the master tool corresponds to the indentation in the product. Alternatively, the LITE film as a master tool can be used to produce microreplicated molds, which can then be used to produce a product having the same microreplicated pattern as the master tool, or for example to nickel electroforming. Can be used to make more robust (metal) tools with reverse patterns. Electroforming is described, for example, in US Pat. Nos. 4,478,769 and 5,156,863, which are incorporated herein by reference. Thus, LITE films as master tools can be used to produce positive and negative replicated products of microreplicated patterns of master tools.

The term “microreplication tool” refers to a tool that has microstructured features, nanostructured features, or a combination of microstructured and nanostructured features so that the microstructured features can be replicated. The term "microstructured" refers to a feature of a surface having at least one dimension (eg, height, length, width or diameter), typically at least two dimensions, of less than one millimeter. The term "nanostructured" refers to a feature of a surface that has at least one dimension (eg, height, length, width, or diameter) of less than 1 micrometer.

LITE film and embossing process

1 is a diagram of an exemplary LITE film 100. The film 100 typically includes a substrate 102 and a light-to-heat conversion (LTHC) layer 104. LITE is used to emboss LTHC to create microstructured or nanostructured patterns or both on the LTHC layer.

The film substrate 102 provides support for the layers of the film 100. One suitable type of polymer film is a polyester film, such as PET or polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) film. However, if light is used for heating and embossing, other films with sufficient optical properties can be used. The film substrate is flat, at least in some cases, so that a uniform coating can be formed. The film substrate is also typically selected from materials that remain substantially stable despite heating of any layer (eg, LTHC layer) in the film. Suitable thicknesses for the film substrates are, for example, in the range of 0.025 millimeters (mm) to 0.15 mm, preferably 0.05 mm to 0.1 mm, although thicker or thinner film substrates can be used.

LTHC layer 104 typically includes a radiation absorber that absorbs incident radiation (eg, laser light) and converts at least some of the incident radiation into heat to enable embossing of the LTHC layer. Alternatively, the radiation absorber may be included in one or more other layers of the LITE film in addition to or instead of the LTHC layer. Typically, radiation absorbers in the LTHC layer (or other layer) absorb light in the infrared, visible, and / or ultraviolet region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Radiation absorbers typically have a high degree of absorbance for selected imaging radiation, providing optical density at wavelengths of imaging radiation in the range of 0.2 to 3, preferably 0.5 to 2. Suitable radiation absorbing materials may include, for example, dyes (eg, visible light dyes, ultraviolet dyes, infrared dyes, fluorescent dyes, and radiation polarizing dyes), pigments, metals, metal compounds, metal films, and other suitable absorbing materials. Can be. Examples of other suitable radiation absorbers can include carbon black, metal oxides, and metal sulfides.

Various imaging sources can be used for imaging the LITE film to emboss the LITE film. For analog technology (eg exposure through a mask), high power light sources (eg xenon flash lamps and lasers) are useful. For digital imaging techniques, infrared, visible and ultraviolet lasers are particularly useful. Suitable lasers include, for example, high power (e.g.,> 100 Hz) single mode laser diodes, fiber coupled laser diodes, and diode-pumped solid state lasers (e.g., Nd: YAG and Nd: YLF). do. The laser exposure duration may for example be in the range of about 0.1 microseconds to 100 microseconds, and the laser fluence may be in the range of about 0.01 J / cm 2 to about 1 J / cm 2, for example. In at least some examples, pressure or vacuum may be used to keep the LTHC layer in intimate contact with the microreplication tool. The radiation source is then used to emboss the LTHC layer by heating the LTHC layer or other layer containing the radiation absorber in an image-wise manner (eg, digitally or by analog exposure through a mask). Can be used.

The microreplication tool can be used to create a LITE film by irradiating the film with a laser exposure area when the LITE film is laminated to the microreplication tool. The result is an embossed film having a structure that corresponds to the microreplication structure of the tool in the laser exposure area. In addition, the process can be repeated using different tools made from different MS technologies to provide a single LITE tool with a number of different patterns.

2A-2C illustrate the use of LITE to make microreplication tools using LITE films. As shown in FIG. 2A, the manufacture of the microreplication tool involves the use of the film 200 and the microreplication tool 202. Film 200 has an additional layer 224, such as substrate 222 and LTHC layer, which may correspond to substrate 102 and LTHC layer 104. Microreplication tool 202 has a microstructure 204. To produce a LITE microreplication tool, as shown in FIG. 2B, the film 200 is laminated to the tool 202 with the microstructure 204 in contact with the LTHC layer 224, and the film 200 Is then imaged against the tool during lamination to the tool 202 using the laser beam 228 and a thermal imaging process as described herein. After imaging and removal of the imaged film 200 from the tool 202, as shown in FIG. 2C, the LTHC layer 224 has a microreplication pattern corresponding to the imaged portion of the microstructure on the tool 202. Has 226. The imaged film with the microreplica pattern can subsequently be used, for example, as a reusable tool, or can be used to make metal replicas or replicas of the imaged film.

3 is a view of a film structure 250 that includes an embossed liner and an article. The embossed liner consists of a substrate 252 and a structured LTHC 254 that may correspond to the substrate 102 and the LTHC layer 104 and may be embossed using the techniques described above to impart a structure 257 therein. Can be. The article consists of a substrate 258 and a material layer 256, which is structured when the embossed liner is laminated or applied. 4 is a view of an embossed article made of an embossed liner. The embossed article consists of a material 256 having a substrate 258 and a structure 259 imparted from the structured LTHC 254 of the liner. Examples of structured liners are described in US Pat. No. 6,838,150, which is incorporated herein by reference.

LITE film for microreplication tools

5A is a perspective view of microreplication tool 300 having a microstructured prism. 5B is a perspective view of a LITE tool 302 manufactured using the microreplication tool 300. In particular, the microreplication tool 302 includes a LITE film having a substrate 304 and an additional layer 306, such as an LTHC layer, which may correspond to the substrate 102 and the LTHC layer 104. Tool 302 may be manufactured using the same or similar process as described with respect to FIGS. 2A-2C. In particular, to manufacture the LITE tool 302, it is laminated to the tool 300 with the microstructured prism in contact with the LTHC layer 306, and then imaged against the tool 300. After imaging, layer 306 is embossed with microstructures 305 separated by unimaged portion 308.

Variations of the LITE process involve the use of multiple microreplication tools with different microstructured patterns to create more complex LITE tools. 6A is a perspective view of three microreplication tools 400, 402, 404 each having microstructured prisms having different pitches and heights. FIG. 6B is a perspective view of a LITE tool 406 fabricated using the microreplication tool shown in FIG. 6A. In particular, microreplication tool 406 includes a LITE film having a substrate 408, which may correspond to substrate 102 and LTHC layer 104, and an additional layer 410, such as an LTHC layer. The LITE tool 406 may be manufactured using the same or similar process as described with respect to FIGS. 2A-2C. In particular, to fabricate the LITE tool 406, it is sequentially stacked and imaged against the tools 400, 402, 404 with the microstructured prism in contact with the LTHC layer 410 during imaging. . After imaging, layer 410 is embossed with microstructures 412, 414, 416 corresponding to tools 404, 402, 400, respectively, separated by unimaged portions 418, 420. do.

Structure on structure structure on structure Having LITE  film

Another variant of the LITE process enables the creation of an array of structures on a structure or pattern that includes micrometer-scale features such as prisms having nanostructured features on the surface. By way of example, the nanostructured features can include one or two dimensional diffraction gratings. 7A-7C illustrate the use of LITE to make microreplication tools having a structure pattern on a structure. As shown in FIG. 7A, the fabrication of the structure overlying microreplication tool involves the use of a film 500 and microreplication tool 502. Film 500 has an additional layer 524, such as substrate 520 and LTHC layer, which may correspond to substrate 102 and LTHC layer 104. The LTHC layer 524 has a nanostructured surface 525 and the microreplication tool 502 has a microstructure 504. To produce the LITE microreplication tool, as shown in FIG. 7B, the film 500 is laminated to the tool 502 with the microstructure 504 in contact with the LTHC layer 524, and the film 500 Is then imaged against the tool during lamination to the tool 502 using a laser beam 521 and a thermal imaging process as described herein. After imaging and removal of the imaged film 500 from the tool 502, as shown in FIG. 7C, the LTHC layer 524 corresponds to the imaged portion of the microstructure on the tool 502 and is nanostructured. It has a microreplication pattern 528 having a surface.

7D-7F illustrate alternatives to the structure pattern on the structure. FIG. 7D is a diagram of the LITE film 500 embossed against the tool 502, with certain nanostructures removed from the region 530 during the embossing process as described with respect to FIG. 7B. In particular, a laser beam 521 of sufficient energy may be used to break the nanostructured features in the imaged area 530 against the tool 502. In another variation, as shown in FIG. 7E, tool 532 may comprise a structure on structure pattern including microstructured features 536 and nanostructured features 534 between the microstructured features. Have FIG. 7F shows a LITE film comprising a substrate 538 and an additional layer 540, such as LTHC embossed using an embossing process and tool 532 as described above. After embossing against the tool 532, the LITE film is nanostructured features 542 on the microstructured features separated by a space 544 corresponding to the microstructured features 536 on the tool 532. Has

In the LITI process LITE  film

8A-8C illustrate an LITI process for imaging an embossed LITE film 600 having a transfer layer 606 to transfer a portion of the transfer layer to the receptor 608. As shown in FIG. 8A, the LITE film 600 consists of an embossed LITE film coated with a transfer layer. The LITE film consists of an LTHC layer 604 having a substrate 602 and a structure 605 fabricated using a process of imaging against the microreplication tool as described above. The transfer layer 606 is applied to the structured LTHC layer 604. During imaging, as shown in FIG. 8B, the LITE film is held in intimate contact with the receptor with the transfer layer held against the receptor 608, and the laser beam 610 irradiates the transfer layer with the LITE film. A portion of 606 is transcribed to receptor 608. As shown in FIG. 8C, when the LITE film is removed, the transferred portion 612 of the transfer layer 606 remains on the receptor 608, and the transferred portion 612 is the LTHC 604 of the LITE film. Has a structure 614 imparted by the structure 605 in.

Various layers of exemplary LITI donor films and methods of imaging thereof are disclosed in US Pat. No. 6,866,979; 6,586,153; 6,586,153; 6,468,715; 6,468,715; No. 6,284,425; And 5,725,989, all of which are incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth.

Film 600 may have an optional interlayer between LTHC layer 606 and embossing layer 608. An optional intermediate layer can be used in the thermal donor to minimize damage and contamination of the transferred portion of the transfer layer, and can also reduce distortion in the transferred portion of the transfer layer. The intermediate layer can also affect the adhesion of the transfer layer to the rest of the thermal transfer donor. Typically, the interlayer has high heat resistance. Preferably, the intermediate layer does not distort or chemically degrade to such an extent that under the imaging conditions, in particular, the image to be transferred becomes nonfunctional. The intermediate layer is typically in contact with the LTHC layer during the transfer process and is not substantially transferred to the transfer layer. Suitable interlayers are, for example, polymer films, metal layers (eg, deposited metal layers), inorganic layers (eg, sol-gel deposition and deposition layers of inorganic oxides (eg, silica, titania, and other metal oxides)), and organic / Inorganic composite layer. Organic materials suitable as interlayer materials include both thermoset and thermoplastic materials. Suitable thermosetting materials include resins that can be crosslinked by thermal, radiation, or chemical treatments, including but not limited to crosslinked or crosslinkable polyacrylates, polymethacrylates, polyesters, epoxies, and polyurethanes. Include. The thermosetting material may be crosslinked, for example after coating onto the LTHC layer as a thermoplastic precursor, to form a crosslinked interlayer. The intermediate layer may contain additives, including, for example, photoinitiators, surfactants, pigments, plasticizers and coating aids.

Transcription layer 606 typically includes one or more layers for transcription to receptor 608. These one or more layers can be formed using organic, inorganic, organometallic, and other materials. Organic materials include, for example, small molecule materials, polymers, oligomers, dendrimers, and hyperbranched materials. The thermal transfer layer is, for example, a light emitting element, an electronic circuit, a resistor, a capacitor, a diode, a rectifier, an electroluminescent lamp, a memory element, a field effect transistor, a bipolar transistor, a single junction transistor, a metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistor of a display device. , Metal-insulator-semiconductor transistor, charge coupled device, insulator-metal-insulator stack, organic conductor-metal-organic stack, integrated circuit, photodetector, laser, lens, waveguide, diffraction grating, hologram element, signal processing Filters (e.g., add-drop filters, gain-leveling filters, blocking filters, etc.), optical filters, mirrors, dividers, combiners, combiners, modulators, sensors (e.g., vanishing wave sensors, phase modulation sensors, Interference sensors, etc.), optical resonators, piezoelectric elements, ferroelectric elements, thin film batteries, or combinations thereof, for example field effects as active matrix arrays for optical displays. It can include a transfer layer that can be used to form a combination of a transistor and an organic electroluminescent lamp. Another article may be formed by transferring a multi-component transfer assembly or a single layer.

Permanent receptors 608 for receiving at least a portion of the transfer layer 606 include, but are not limited to, transparent films, display black matrices, passive and active portions of electronic displays, metals, semiconductors, glass, various papers, and plastics. May be any item suitable for a particular application. Examples of acceptor substrates include aluminum anodized and other metals, plastic films (eg PET, polypropylene), indium tin oxide coated plastic films, glass, indium tin oxide coated glass, flexible circuits, circuit boards, silicon Or other semiconductors, and various different types of paper (eg, filled or unfilled paper, calendered paper, or coated paper).

FIG. 9A illustrates a process for manufacturing a LITE tool using 90 ° laser scanning, and FIG. 9B illustrates microstructures fabricated using the scanning orientation shown in FIG. 9A and having a 100 micrometer horizontal pitch. This is an image of a sample LITE tool. FIG. 10A illustrates a process for manufacturing a LITE tool using laser scanning at 45 ° orientation, and FIG. 10B illustrates microstructures fabricated using the scanning orientation shown in FIG. 10A and having a 100 micrometer diagonal pitch. This is an image of a sample LITE tool. These tools can be manufactured using a process of imaging LITE films against microreplication tools as described above. 9A, 9B, 10A and 10B also illustrate how the alignment of the laser scan line and the tool can be controlled to emboss various feature patterns on the LITE film. For example, in some embodiments, the tool has a high resolution regular array of microstructured features, the LITE film has no information patterned therein, and the laser pattern has high positional accuracy; In these embodiments, the resulting pattern in the LITE film after embossing includes high positional accuracy, preferably with high resolution embossed features smaller than the laser scan line. Other embodiments may require alignment of the tool and the laser system to emboss the LITE film having various types of embossed features. Once the LITE film is embossed, the LITE film may comprise a reference mark, or any other type of alignment mark, to subsequently align the laser system with the LITE film according to the embossed pattern. Examples of the use of criteria in web-based systems are described in US Pat. No. 7,187,995, which is incorporated herein by reference.

LITE film 1

LITE film 1 comprising two coated layers on a PET film was prepared in the following manner. Reverse microgravure coater (Yasui Seiki CAG) on a 0.07 mm (2.88 mil) thick PET film substrate (M7Q film, DuPont Teisin Films, Hopewell, Va.) LTHC was applied by coating LTHC-1 (Table 1). The coating was in-line dried and photocured under ultraviolet radiation to achieve an LTHC dry thickness of approximately 2.7 micrometers. The cured coating had an optical density of approximately 1.18 at 1064 nanometers (nm).

The clear coat was applied to the LTHC layer by coating CC-1 (Table 2) using a reverse microgravure coater (Yasui Seiki CAG-150). The coating was inline dried and photocured under ultraviolet radiation to achieve a dry clear coat thickness of approximately 1.1 micrometers.

LITE film 2

LITE film 2 comprising a single coated layer on a PET film was prepared in the following manner. LTHC-2 (Table 3) using a reverse microgravure coater (Yasui Seiki CAG-150) on a 0.07 mm (2.88 mil) thick PET film substrate (M7Q film, DuPont Teisin Films, Hopewell, Va.) ) Was applied by coating the LTHC layer. The coating was inline dried to achieve an LTHC dry thickness of approximately 3.7 micrometers. The dry coating had an optical density of approximately 3.2 at 808 nm.

Nickel electroforming tools

Silicon patterned on standard orientation 10.2 cm (4 inch) silicon wafer coated with Shipley 1813 photoresist (Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials, Newark, Delaware, USA) Wafer master was prepared. Small square of 5 micron linear features by contact photolithography using standard I-line mask aligner (Quintel, San Jose, CA) and E-beam recorded chromium on glass phototool The resist was patterned into an array. Standard development techniques were used for the Shipley resist, but no final hard bake was performed on the resist. The samples were then etched in a reactive ion etch tool with an inductively coupled plasma generator (Oxford Instruments, Ensham, UK). Samples were etched for 2 minutes at an approximate etch depth of 0.5 micrometers using C ₄ F ₈ and O ₂ , 70 W RF power, 1600 W ICP power, and a pressure of 0.73 kPa (5.5 mTorr). The resist was then stripped from the sample using a Shipley 1165 resist stripper in a heated ultrasonic photoresist stripper bath to create a master tool.

The master tool was plated with electrolyte nickel to a thickness of approximately 0.64 mm (25 mils). Prior to nickel plating, 1000 kPa of steam coated nickel was deposited on the surface to make the wafer conductive. Nickel plating is a 6 hour preplate of low deposition rate to ensure that a uniform conductive layer of nickel is established, followed by faster deposition to achieve a target thickness value of 0.64 mm (25 mils). It was performed in two steps consisting of. Electroforming resulted in a nickel electroforming tool having an array of linear features of 5 micrometers wide with a uniform height of approximately 1.29 micrometers (as determined by AFM analysis).

LITE procedure

To produce the LITE tool, the LITE film was in intimate contact with the structured tool. The air between the film and the tool was removed using a vacuum chuck assembly, and the film-tool laminate was exposed to laser radiation through the support layer (substrate) of the film. For laser system A exposure (λ = 1064 nm), the scan speed was 0.635 m / s, the spot power was 1 W in the image plane, and the dose was 0.85 J / cm 2. For laser system B exposure (λ = 808 nm), the scan speed was 1.0 m / s, the spot power was 1.3 W, and the dose was 1.3 J / cm 2.

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) in tapping mode was used to characterize the embossed features of LITE film 2 and the corresponding features of nickel electroforming and IDF. The instrument used for the analysis of the TMF film and the corresponding LITE film 2 was Digital Instruments Dimension 3100 SPM. The instrument used for the analysis of the nanotool and corresponding LITE film 2 was Digital Instruments Dimension 5000 SPM. The probe used was an Olympus OTESP single crystal silicon lever with a force constant of about 40 N / M. The set point value was set to 75% of the original free space amplitude (2.0 V).

Claims (22)

A laser induced thermal embossing (LITE) film, Substrate; And A light-to-heat conversion layer covering the substrate, The surface of the LITE film may have a microstructured surface optionally embossed on top. The method of claim 1, A film applied to the photothermal conversion layer; And Further comprising a material between the film and the light-to-heat conversion layer, LITE film comprising a liner causing structuring of the material through application of a microstructured surface of the light-to-heat conversion layer. The LITE film of claim 1, wherein the light-to-heat conversion layer comprises at least one of a metal, a pigment, or a dye. The LITE film of claim 1, wherein the light-to-heat conversion layer has a thickness of about 0.01 micrometers to about 10 micrometers. The LITE film of claim 1, wherein the microstructured surface has discrete microstructured features. The LITE film of claim 1, wherein the microstructured surface has nanostructured features. The LITE film of claim 1, wherein the microstructured surface has microstructured optical elements. The LITE film of claim 1, wherein the microstructured surface has a microstructured prism. Providing a laser induced thermal embossing (LITE) film comprising a substrate and a photothermal conversion layer covering the substrate; Stacking the LITE film on the master tool including the pattern of microstructures with the light-to-heat conversion layer in contact with the microstructures; Imaging the LITE film in a patterned manner to selectively expose the photothermal conversion layer; And Removing the master tool to produce a microstructured pattern on the LITE film that corresponds to the microstructures of the master tool Method of manufacturing a microreplication tool comprising a. 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising applying a transfer layer to the photothermal conversion layer. The method of claim 9, wherein providing comprises providing a LITE film wherein the light-to-heat conversion layer comprises at least one of a metal, a pigment, or a dye. The method of claim 9, wherein providing comprises providing a LITE film wherein the light-to-heat conversion layer comprises a nanostructured surface. Providing a laser induced thermal embossing (LITE) film comprising a substrate and a photothermal conversion layer covering the substrate; Stacking a LITE film on a first master tool comprising a first pattern of microstructures with the light-to-heat conversion layer in contact with the first pattern of microstructures; Imaging the LITE film in a patterned manner to selectively expose the light-to-heat conversion layer to the first pattern of microstructures; Removing the LITE film from the first master tool; Stacking a LITE film on a second master tool comprising a second pattern of microstructures with the light-to-heat conversion layer in contact with the second pattern of microstructures; Imaging the LITE film in a patterned manner to selectively expose the photothermal conversion layer to a second pattern of microstructures; And Removing the LITE film from the second master tool to produce a LITE film having a pattern corresponding to the combination of the first pattern and the second pattern of microstructures. Method of manufacturing a microreplication tool comprising a. The method of claim 13, further comprising applying a transfer layer to the photothermal conversion layer. The method of claim 13, wherein the providing comprises providing the LITE film wherein the light-to-heat conversion layer comprises at least one of a metal, a pigment, or a dye. The method of claim 13, wherein providing comprises providing a LITE film wherein the light-to-heat conversion layer comprises a nanostructured surface. The method of claim 13, wherein the first pattern of microstructures is different from the second pattern of microstructures. The method of claim 13, wherein imaging in a patterned manner comprises imaging the first pattern of microstructures in the LITE film at an angle other than zero relative to the second pattern of microstructures. The method of claim 13, wherein each of the first and second patterns of microstructures comprises an array of microstructured prisms. The method of claim 19, wherein the array of microstructured prisms of the first pattern of microstructures has a different pitch than the array of microstructured prisms of the second pattern of microstructures. A laser induced thermal embossing (LITE) film used to make a thermal donor film, materials; A photothermal conversion layer covering the substrate, the surface of the LITE film may have a microstructured surface that is optionally embossed on top; And A transfer layer applied to the surface of the photothermal conversion layer, which may have a microstructured surface, The LITE film allows a portion of the transfer layer to be transferred to the receptor when irradiated while being kept in intimate contact with the receptor while the transfer layer is held against the receptor. A method of making a thermal donor film having a structured transfer layer, Providing a laser induced thermal embossing (LITE) film comprising a substrate and a photothermal conversion layer covering the substrate; Stacking the LITE film on the master tool including the pattern of microstructures with the light-to-heat conversion layer in contact with the microstructures; Imaging the LITE film in a patterned manner to selectively expose the photothermal conversion layer; Removing the master tool to produce a microstructured pattern on the LITE film corresponding to the microstructures of the master tool; And Applying a transfer layer to the microstructured pattern on the LITE film, The LITE film is a method of producing a thermal donor film that causes a portion of the transfer layer to be transferred to the receptor when irradiated while being kept in intimate contact with the receptor while the transfer layer is held against the receptor.

Images